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P:R Approved: Cliff Chiang’s Orion!

Note: When great new designs come out in official comics continuity, P:R takes notice. And at New York Comic Con earlier this week, DC released a new design for the New God Orion by Cliff Chiang for Wonder Woman. P:R has featured Chiang’s work here on multiple occasions, and we’re bowled over by this new take on this Kirby creation. From the flip-up helmet to the Speed Racer-esque racing suit, I’m all in for this. I can only hope more New Gods will show up in Wonder Woman and Chiang will redesign them. – Chris A.

I don’t want to sound rude and crude… But it isn’t something I would call ‘redesign’. I’d rather call this one a ‘nice work’. But it is not THAT different from the original… I hope you get what I’m trying to say… :)

I admit that I always found Kirby’s design – strange, and disturbingly bland. But in a GOOD way, because – well – these are the New Gods, inhabitants of a strange world with strange customs. Why would they be wearing anything to flatter the human eyes?
This redesign is the opposite. It’s generically human fashion for fast-travelling, daring men, completely by the book.
It doesn’t say “alien” or “deity”, it just says “McLaren Automotive”, and that is not what Orion should be about.
I know I’m sounding awfully negative these days, but ever since Marvel Now and the New 52, I feel a great sense of loss in comics.

On one hand, I like the sleekness and cleanliness of the design (the New Genesis New Gods IMO should look sleek yet radiant with a touch of futuristic) on the other hand, the latter two designs are a little TOO clean and streamlined for someone whose supposed to be the New God of War.

sharkfur: I don’t want to sound rude and crude… But it isn’t something I would call ‘redesign’. I’d rather call this one a ‘nice work’. But it is not THAT different from the original… I hope you get what I’m trying to say… :)

Well by definition it is a redesign, whether you’d like to call it one or not, because it’s not the same exact design. Many people here seem to have the expectation that a redesign has to be radically different to be good (or even be classified a redesign), but not every redesign has to be about offering a completely new take or reinventing the character. Some times all they’re going for is a tweak that contemporizes the character, it doesn’t have to be a big difference. It just has to be successful at what it aims to achieve.

As for my thoughts on the design, I kinda like the direction it’s going in but think they could’ve taken a step further because right now it doesn’t look like something from another planet at all. LOVE the helmet though.

I’d have to see this one in the context of the story. Say what you will about the New 52 as a whole, Wonder Woman is a great book that brings its A game month to month. And a lot of the gods have been given more contemporary looks to blend with modern society. So if that’s what Orion is also doing, then I get it. But if he is indeed still a strange visitor from another world, then yeah, I miss a lot of the crazy Kirby elements that make him alien.

I love this redesign. Orion’s costume shouldn’t be over-laden with details, he’s a pretty simple, uncomplicated guy and his original Kirby costume reflected that and so does this. Plus, while this costume does have a biker look to it, it also looks militaristic to me, like a WWII pilot. The subtle changes to the helmet are a vast improvement in my opinion. It was one of the only things I really didn’t like about any of the New Gods costumes.

Hopefully, he will have his more ugly face in the comics and this is the disguise provided by his Motherbox (I think that’s what provided his disguise originally, I haven’t read the comics for a while)

I like this costume, but I don’t feel he looks like the “Dog of War.” I’m curious to see how the New Gods fit into the Wonder Woman mythos. I trust Chiang’s choices. I’m gonna assume for now that the new look is in keeping with the new interpretation. That Astrosled and helmet are awesome.

This looks more like a science hero than a New God. The helmet change is great, but this jacketed look isn’t Orion. Now if that shirt was the suit, it would be a better look. Though I agree with Ollywood, they need to ugly him up a bit to get the spirit of Orion

I love it as an update when it’s put together with the classic, regardless it’s more of a biker than Kirby-ish.
But I wonder how a person who has no knowledge of the classic Kriby design would think of the new desgin.
Because it’s so straightforward, nothing’s special except the helmet.

However, if I have a complain it’s how pretty he is. Orion should always have some family resemblance. That said, if he looked ugly and was disguised by the Mother Box, well I still probably wouldn’t go nuts, but it at least would have some precedent.